(April 29, 2010) The Government of Japan announces the recipients of its Spring 2010 Decoration. Mr. Paul Kunio Shiba of Los Angeles, President of the Seinan Senior Citizens Club, will be awarded with The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays
Mr. Shiba was born in California. He is 80 years old currently. During his early years, he moved to his parents’ hometown in Shizuoka prefecture. After graduating from high school in Japan he returned to the United States and worked in the agricultural, gardening, and manufacturing fields.
While his children were enrolled in the Japanese Language School Unified System (Kyodo System), he became involved at the administrative level and worked for the expansion of Japanese language and culture education.
In addition, he drew on this experience to become involved in the federation of Japanese language schools in California, the California Association of Japanese Language School, Inc. He became Chairman of the association’s Textbook Management Committee and contributed to the revision of Japanese language teaching materials in the United States.
In addition, Mr. Shiba took on leadership roles in the prefectural organizations which bring together the many Japanese and Japanese American residents in the southern California region of common prefectural origins, as well as the federation of these organizations, Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai.
Through his work in the prefectural organizations, he passed on Japanese culture and traditions and endeavored to promote the participation of younger generation Japanese Americans in Japanese American community activities.
Further, he is President of the Seinan Senior Center, a social services organization based in southwest Los Angeles aka the Crenshaw area, which serves Japanese and Japanese American seniors.
In the midst of the unfavorable circumstances of the rapidly aging Japanese American population and the downturn of the economy, he has reinvigorated the activities of the center and through such efforts as the introduction of new programs, has contributed to the welfare of Japanese and Japanese American seniors.